1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an apparatus for supporting brake hoses between rail cars. Specifically, a swivel fitting according to the invention accommodates the connection of an end hose to an intermediate hose at different angles, thereby reducing kinks and unintentional hose uncoupling.
2. Description of Related Art
The American Association of Railroads (“AAR”) Standard S-4021 (Adopted 1999 and last revised 2006), incorporated herein by reference, depicts an arrangement for attaching a brake hose assembly between rail cars. As shown in the Figures published with the S-4021 Standard, a fixed brake line attached to the rail car terminates at an angle cock valve. The angle cock valve is attached (usually via an adapter) to an intermediate hose. The intermediate hose is connected to an end hose by a fitting, sometimes referred to as the train line support casting, which is supported on a bracket attached to the yoke of the coupling apparatus between adjacent rail cars. AAR specifications require that the distance between the fitting connecting the intermediate hose to the end hose and the coupler pulling face, where the force is applied between the two adjacent rail cars, is in a range of 21½ to 22½ inches.
This is self-evidently a relatively narrow tolerance. If the distance is too long, the hose may detach, or the connection with the end hose of an adjacent rail car becomes difficult to make. If the distance is too short, the hose may kink. The S-4021 standard calls for the fitting where the end hose meets the intermediate hose to be angled 20 degrees with respect to the angle cock valve, which alleviates the problem by allowing use of a longer hose. However, the concomitant problem is that the standard hose length may then be too short.
Attempts to address this problem include the trolley arrangement, and a so-called hybrid arrangement, in which the train line support casting (i.e., the fitting where the end hose is connected to the intermediate hose) is movable in the axial direction of the rail car along a rod attached to the support bracket, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/038,250 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,267,306, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. However, it is believed that a fitting permitting this axial motion is inherently unreliable and results in more unwanted brake hose uncoupling.
Therefore it would be desirable if there were a brake hose support that, on one hand, utilized a fixed bracket to minimize movement of the end hose connection to the intermediate hose, but at the same time allowed for some differences in distance between the end hose connection of adjacent rail cars and the coupling with respective intermediate hoses.